Improvement in machines for opening and cleaning cotton



'-.l. Machins for Opening and Cleaning Cotton! B. WE-NDEL.

Patented m 21,1874.

l mm nmmc ATTUBNEYS.

TflE GRAPHIC CEFHDYO'LITILSBII I PARK PLAOE.N.Y.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES B. W'ENDEL, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR OPENING AND CLEANING COTTON.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 153,409, dated July 21, 1874; application filed July 8, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES B. WENDEL, of Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and Improved Lint Cotton Opener, Cleaner, and Straightener; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation. Fig. 2 is a plan View partly in section, and Fig. 3 a horizontal section.

Theinvention relates to and consists in means whereby cotton may be opened, cleaned, and straightened by a single continuous operation, as hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

A represents the frame, in which is suitably secured a hollow case, B. To the under side of the latter is appended a table, 0, on which the cotton is emptied from baskets. A workman standing in close proximity feeds it gradually to a spiked roller, D, that works over a bottom piece, d, and carries it against the vertical grate E. This causes the cotton to be taken gradually and'in bits by the hook-teeth of another roller, F, from which it is then taken by the spikes of roller G, both of these rolls turning in a channel-way subjacently grated or reticulated, and leading to the suction-fan H in the enlarged part B of the case. I provide each radial wing of the fan with small spikes h, that act in conjunction with corresponding spikes on the inside of the fancase B and preferably make perforations I), that, like the grated channelway 9, allow the dust and foreign particles of matter to escape. The draft from the suction-fan drawing air with the cotton fibers toward itself co-operates with the spiked rolls in feeding and transferring the cotton to and over the fan. It is then blown along the part B of easing, having the grates b I) for the outlet of dust to steel brushes I J, the former rotary and the latter stationary. This straightens out the fiber as well as allows the subjacent fan K to expel any remaining dust and discharge the cotton as lint out of the spout L. The cotton is thus fed through the grate to the picking-rolls F G, which cause a great deal of the dirt to be shaken out and discharged through the grating below. It is next opened and separated by the spikes b h and the opening action of draft in the fan-case, and becomes fleeey in appearance and denuded of nearly all foreign matter. It is finally combed out by the steelbrushes I J and discharged by the fan in a clean and merchantable condition.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is l. The combination, with rolls 1) F G and grate E, of the suction-fan II, having spikes h, and case 13 having corresponding spikes b, to draw up the cotton and open it out, in the manner set forth.

2. The combination of the steel brushes I J, working in a channel, B to straighten the cleaned fiber, in the manner specified.

' J. B. WENDEL.

Witnesses OHAs. A. PETTIT, Enwn. W. BYRN. 

